“I’ll get this part. I mean, you did slave over the microwave for all of ten minutes,” he teased, collecting the plates and moving them to the sink. He was still grinning until he saw the vial on the counter. “Damn it to hell…she picked my pocket…”
Catherine laughed brightly, leaning back in the chair. “Now ain’t that the pot calling the kettle…you lifted them from my apartment…and you didn’t have a key.”
“It was a mistake putting you two together,” Aaron mumbled, opening the vial and growling at the candy coated candies that spilled into his palm.
Catherine hobbled over to him, lifting two of the candies and popping them into her mouth. She let the cheeky grin stay in place as she held his eyes with hers. “Hmmm…yumm…I think I feel the pain fading…”
Chapter Twenty
“I can fix that,” he whispered, taking a step forward to her one back.
“Not fair…I can’t run…”
“Do you want to, Catherine?” He felt his blood heat, the violet in her eyes darkening when he took her palms in his and placed them on his shoulders.
“No…no, I don’t…not now…” She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on, relaxing as he lifted her against him and headed toward the bedroom. Her eyes sparkled, her lips brushing along his throat.
“I don’t want to hurt you…but I’ve had a hell of a time concentrating today,” Aaron said gruffly.
“I promise…I’ll be careful of my leg…” She slid her palm inside his shirt, her nails flipping the buttons free even as he laid her on the bed.
He looked at her as he lifted a hand to touch her face tenderly, tucking a long lock of hair behind her ear. He ran his fingers lightly over her cheeks, let the pad of his thumb touch the ends of her eyelashes. His fingertips brushed over her parted lips like light kisses. It didn't take much for her to become aroused, for his gentle touch seemed to do it.
Skillfully, he unbuttoned the front of her shirt and pulled down one sleeve to reveal a pale smooth shoulder. She let out a sigh as he leaned forward to touch that skin with his hot mouth. His lips trailed to her collarbone, nuzzling her neck until he moved up for their mouths to meet in a long, deep kiss that broke with both of them breathless. He pulled her carefully to her feet beside the bed, losing himself in her eyes.
He lowered his head to her neck, grazed his lips over her pulse. He felt her shiver as she tried standing perfectly still. He pushed the shirt off her shoulders. He started to scrape his teeth lightly up her neck to her ear, breathing over her ear until she was panting.
It was her turn to play, shoving the suit jacket down his arms and tugging his shirt from his slacks before her hands moved to the leather belt. Catherine liked the husky gaps when her hands pressed over the heated flesh of his chest, fingernails raking lightly through the sparse amber coils, down his sides and trailing seductively around the edge of his belt.
While moving his mouth slowly over her shoulder, licking a trail over her collarbone, he shed his shirt, and welcomed the feel of Catherine's hands on him. For a moment, he closed his eyes, reveled in the fact that she returned his touch with a hunger that matched what he was feeling inside.
“You’re beautiful,” Aaron murmured thickly, his palms stroking over the teasing hint of lace over her breasts. She raked her fingers through his silky dark hair, pressing his skillful mouth to her exposed breasts. "So good..." He whispered against her damp nipple, moving over to the other to kiss and bite gently. "So sweet..."
He groaned out loud when her hands moved to open his belt, the button next and zipper tugged down, her hands grazing his arousal pressing hard between them. He forced his mind to remember the wound she had, the stark whiteness of the gauze wrapped from below her knee to mid-thigh. His stomach did another flip when she shoved his pants over his hips, gravity taking them to the floor. He put his hands on her waist and turned to sit on the bed, holding her carefully between his knees.
“Catherine…”
“I’m okay, Aaron…” her palms framed his face and she leaned deliberately forward, letting her weight carry him to his back. His hands moved to her back, releasing the snap and sliding the slender straps down her arms, soft, full breasts tumbling onto his chest.
His hands curved over her waist. Boldly, she lowered her head to meet his torrid kiss. Their tongues danced and explored, catching each other's cry of pleasure as they pressed against each other. Her mouth dropped hot, moist kisses from one corner of his face to the other and back again, her lean body arched, stretching until she could reach behind her to lift one of the foil packets from the nightstand.
Aaron groaned aloud. “If you touch me…god I need you...I want you so much…”
She let him take the packet from her fingers, his hands gently setting her aside. Her breath caught inside her when he leaned over her, suckling, touching, arousing and repeating until she was gripping the blankets beneath her. She lifted her head when she felt him prepare himself, straightening slowly and pressing her palms to his shoulders until he lay back, staring up at her, confused. Until she slid her leg over him, let the hot moisture down her center stroke over him.
Even as his palms went to her waist, his eyes swept the bend of her leg before going to her face. Concern slid a little when the expression she was sporting had nothing to do with pain and everything to do with the mounting passion in them both. Aaron slid his palm over the flat of her stomach, his fingers dipping softly along the crease of her thigh before stroking through the tangled, dampness waiting for him. He teased and caressed, swallowed up her pleas and savored the tension around his fingers and the dark storm in her eyes when she felt her body carry her away.
Suddenly, he rolled her beneath him and thrust into her languidly, eliciting a soft cry from her lips. He never looked away from her, wanting to see every little expression, hear every cry from those full, alluring lips of hers. He wanted her slowly, though he felt ready to spill. He wanted to ram himself into her until they were desperate for breath, but he wanted this to build and build until it was ecstasy.
She was arching toward him, urging him to take her faster with her legs wound around him. He only smiled at her and took her mouth with his, teasing her with his patience.
"Aaron!" She cried out, her nails digging into his back. He reveled in the stinging of her nails, and pulled almost all the way out only to bury himself to the hilt inside her. He continued to do this, taking her with deep strokes, then shallow ones.
Her muscles started to clamp down hard on him and he felt his own orgasm take hold, grabbing his patience and shooting it into the atmosphere. He started to plunge into her wet warmth, mindless. Catherine cried out. He could feel himself harden even more and then everything exploded. He let out a groan and drained himself inside her.
Their foreheads touched. His words of concern whispered against her mouth as he levered himself to the side, carefully avoiding touching the gauze. His palm stroked along her cheek, touching the closed lashes and touching his mouth to hers.
“Don’t move…”
“I don’t think I can,” she answered breathlessly, her sigh ragged as the remnants sent sparks through her body. They ended up sideways across the large bed, lights on full and windows wide open to the world.
Aaron drank in the sight of the long, dark hair fanned out, her body curled slightly to the side and toes curling over the edge of the bed. He tapped the light switch and carefully rearranged her, pulling the blankets over them both.
“Are you alright?” He leaned on his elbow, just staring like a kid at the sparkle in her eyes when the dark lashes rose very slowly.
“I am good…very…loose…very…” she purred softly. “Relaxed…” She watched him laugh, her palm up to gently touch the side of his face. “I’m looking forward to when I’m no longer wounded…”
“Making plans, are you?”
Her palm moved to his shoulder, pushing him to his back as she carefully positioned herself stretched along half his body, her kn
ee bent and resting over his thighs. He caught himself from stroking along her thigh, strong fingers stopping at the edge of the gauze. He frowned when she shifted again, moving to her stomach and straightening her legs behind her.
“I am…” she let her arms rest on his chest, her chin in the center. “You’re so cute…so sexy…so smart…”
He wasn’t sure if he saw something or felt it, but his palm went to her face, long free dark hair shielding part of her from him. “What is it, Catherine? Suddenly it feels like you’re…I don’t know…stepping back…”
“See…so smart…” She whispered again, almost in awe. “I never went to college, Aaron. I made it half a semester before it was driving me nuts. I went straight into the academy.”
“You saw your goal and went for it,” he shook his head, a little puzzled. “Nothing wrong with that. And you’ve worked hard for it. College doesn’t guarantee things like that, Catherine.”
“I know that…but…”
“Ahh…I think I see…Anna didn’t go to college, either, Catherine. She hated school…I’m more inclined to believe she really disliked being hit on…I think it frightened her. I bet you took tons of courses to improve your skills as a police officer and investigator?” He saw her immediate answer in her eyes. He’d never get tired of those eyes, he realized, smiling softly, wondering if their kids would have violet eyes.
“I did and I know there will be tons more courses for me to take in the new job, but…” She let her head tilt forward. “I don’t know…I wonder what…”
“We spent an hour and a half over dinner dissecting world problems, arguing baseball and laughing about idiots on the highway,” Aaron waited while she considered this, her head coming up again, her lip drawn between her teeth in thought. “Now you see why the diplomas aren’t on display? Because I had a need to learn things doesn’t mean anything special. Is that what you were trying to bring up?”
“It’s not easy to talk about…about things you think you’re…you are so smart!” She blurted out loudly again. “What in the world can you find appealing about me?”
“Hmmm…can’t imagine,” he murmured with a husky laugh. “Maybe what I see…what I feel…is a whole lot different than what you see in the mirror. I see a very intelligent, compassionate woman who knows what she wants and doesn’t let anything get in her way. I see someone who battled male prejudices and a wall built by those same males because she wanted in the club to play and help people,” he saw his words strike a chord. “It wasn’t easy, was it?”
“No…no…you always have to be smarter…better…faster…just because you’re a girl…and when you are…some believe you only succeeded because you were a girl,” she said quietly, her smile slow and a little crooked. “So smart…” She slid forward, moving her lips over his, tasting in tiny kisses from one corner to the other.
“Just a guy, Catherine…who fell into a violet pool and can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings…” He gently pulled her over him, his palms enjoying the silken feel of her against him and beneath his hands.
Aaron held her even after she fell asleep. For a long time, he remained awake, watching the light dance across her face. For the first time, he found himself fascinated with a woman's features. He took the time to memorize the way the tip of her nose lifted a little and the tiny little birthmark just on her left jaw line, the things he never noticed in such fine detail before. When he finally slept, it was fast and solid.
Aaron inhaled the fresh, hot scent and felt his stomach and brain issue a demand for more than a smell. One eye opened slowly. He was on his stomach, arms thrown above his head. His head was facing the window, the side of the bed that had held a beautiful brunette was now rumpled and empty. Light streamed into the room and the sky outside looked blue. He closed the eye again and reluctantly turned his head to the other side. He had a very pleasant memory of their first night together, the sight of rising steam from the large cup made him groan aloud in gratitude.
“I’m glad you’re alive…I was seriously worried I’d have to arrest myself for killing you,” Catherine came out of the bathroom wrapped in a large white bath sheet, a wide toothed comb drawn slowly through her wet hair. She perched in the spot he cleared for her by pulling himself to sit. She saw him look pointedly at her leg. “I’m okay, Aaron…nothing torn or damaged. I’ll bind it up before I pull on my jeans.”
He breathed in the fresh scent of soap and Catherine and coffee and wasn’t sure which was more potent at the moment. “Rehab today?” He asked, working to clear his head and eyes.
“Naw…told them I know how to use it, once it’s all sealed up. I’ll get back into running and kicking once I can use it proper,” she tilted a gaze at him. “You could do me a little favor…” She held up a small cloth covered band and smiled. “Remember how to braid?”
Between laughter and teasing and twenty minutes of both, the long dark hair was neatly braided and Aaron wandered into the shower with his coffee mug in hand. Catherine dressed quickly and went below, making toast and pouring herself some juice. She was staring at the board when he came down, knotting his tie.
She was moving more steadily today, her hand up and scrawling the new notes on the white board.
“Both sets of grandparents?” Aaron asked after pouring another cup of coffee.
“I don’t like unanswered questions,” she said quietly, setting the marker down and checking her pack, her keys set on the desk top.
“You’re supposed to be recuperating,” he said, snagging her waist and pulling her against him, his mouth down to gently taste the morning on her lips.
“I’m recuperating…in my own way…”
“Lunch?”
“Hmm…I don’t think so…not today…I want to get that file from Carter…and check my apartment…”
“Bring some stuff over here…please…” He added, meeting the wide eyes with a grin. “Plenty of room in the closet…”
“Sounds kind of…like we’re a couple…”
“A couple of people mad about one another…certainly does fit the description.”
She let him bear her weight against him, his arms tight around her and lifting her slightly from the floor as they kissed, long, soft, hard and potent. Her elbows rested on his broad shoulders, fingers playing with the thick strands of hair at the back of his head.
“You have appointments,” she whispered against his mouth.
“It’s Thursday…Saturday and Sunday…can’t get here soon enough,” he said with a long sigh, slowly letting her feet touch the floor again. “I’ll tag you later and see how busy you are…with whatever you’re up to today.”
“Hmm…Carter…then scoop up my partner and ask some questions…” She reached for the cane leaning against the desk and quickly printed out the time line she’d worked out. She had Anna’s journal in her pack, added the printed page and lifted her keys. She grabbed his tie, applying her mouth to his hard and fast, winking and doing her best to not limp on her way to the door.
“I see that sexy twitch in your behind when you limp, Catherine…” Aaron shook his head. “Be careful.”
“Promise,” she waved and closed the door behind her, unlocking her car and sliding inside with a little frown. She looked at the time line she’d typed. She opened the window when he came out behind her and tapped on the glass.
“I have a cleaning lady who comes in today…so if you make it home before four, don’t be surprised to see her cleaning up,” he stuck his head in and took another taste of her before backing up and heading to his car.
“Cleaning up…” she said quietly, another look at the paper. She dug into her pack and brought out the photos they’d aged with the information on the other men Anna had drawn. One was dead less than a year ago. Another…existence unknown, she wrote with a big line leading to the name of Barrow. “Too much coincidence,” she said as she drove through work morning traffic to the long waterway offices being built.
The sports car drew a li
ttle attention, but she was used to it, using the hook of the cane to leverage herself to her feet in the parking lot. With her pack flung over her shoulder, she entered the wide reception area. Carter Shipley had the entire level and made good use of it for his receptionist and room for clients to relax. The woman behind the desk looked up and smiled a welcome with deep grey eyes that had probably seen a lot working for the man.
“Catherine Jenkins.”
“Of course, Ms. Jenkins. He’s expecting you,” Nora gestured to the door. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“I’m good, but thank you,” Catherine stepped into the large office, closing the door behind her. She remained quiet when he held up one hand for her to take a seat.
“I’m not interested, Stanford. You signed the contract and if you can’t maintain the schedule, find a way to make it happen, or I will. It costs you money. I’m making money on it, regardless,” Carter listened patiently. “Then it means you have a lower profit margin, but you stick to the material I contracted for and don’t make the mistake of thinking I won’t be checking. You have a week. Good bye.”
“I’m quaking in my boots,” Catherine quipped, leaning against the window on the other side of the room.
Pale lashes over green eyes recovered some of his natural humor behind the gold frames. “You can’t fool me. You’re too much like Anna…so quaking isn’t something that comes to mind. How are you this morning?”
“Hmm…trick question…” She pushed away from the window and accepted the folder he held out to her. “And you’re too much like Aaron for that to be a simple question. The leg’s healing, thanks for asking.”
“I seriously owe you for helping yesterday, Catherine,” his features took on a more serious, almost worn look.
“I’m glad I was there,” she answered honestly. “Guys emotionally involved…it’s not an easy thing to see happen and even more difficult to handle just because there’s no way of knowing what’s inside her. She’s a lot stronger than she seems when…when the memories grab her senses.”
WindSwept Narrows: #16 Anna Carson & Catherine Jenkins Page 17
